In recent months, there has been much debate about India’s No. 4 position. However, with the return of Shreyas Iyer, this issue is no longer a concern. Iyer is arguably one of the best No. 4 batsmen in world cricket today. Since the 2019 World Cup, he has accumulated 805 runs at No. 4, averaging 47.35 with a strike rate of 94.37. Among all the teams participating in the 2023 ODI World Cup, no other No. 4 batsman can boast a better average or more centuries than Iyer’s two. Additionally, he has diligently worked on his short-ball weakness, further bolstering India’s batting lineup.
Team News: India’s Pace Attack Dilemma
India faces some tough decisions regarding their pace attack. If they opt for Shardul Thakur to bolster their batting lineup, it would leave room for just two frontline seamers (assuming Kuldeep Yadav’s inclusion). In this scenario, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj are likely to get the nod over Mohammed Shami and Prasidh Krishna.
Probable Lineups
